Lijit Ad Wijit

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Looks likeDXM can come in the form of: cough syrup, tablets, capsules, or powder.

DXM is a cough suppressor found in more than 120 overthecounter(OTC) cold medications, either alone or incombination with other drugs such as analgesics (e.g.,acetaminophen), antihistamines (e.g., chlorpheniramine),decongestants (e.g., pseudoephedrine), and/or expectorants(e.g., guaifenesin). The typical adult dose for cough is 15 or 30mg taken three to four times daily. The cough-suppressing effectsof DXM persist for 5 to 6 hours after ingestion. When taken asdirected, side-effects are rarely observed.Street

Methods of abuseDXM is abused in high doses to experience euphoria and visual and auditory hallucinations. Abusers take variousamounts depending on their body weight and the effect they are attempting to achieve. Some abusers ingest 250 to1,500 milligrams in a single dosage, far more than the recommended therapeutic dosages described above. Illicit use ofDXM is referred to on the street as “Robotripping,” “skittling,” or “dexing.” The first two terms are derived from theproducts that are most commonly abused, Robitussin and Coricidin HBP. DXM abuse has traditionally involved drinkinglarge volumes of the OTC liquid cough preparations. More recently, however, abuse of tablet and gel capsulepreparations has increased. These newer, high-dose DXM products have particular appeal for abusers. They are mucheasier to consume, eliminate the need to drink large volumes of unpleasant-tasting syrup, and are easily portable andconcealed, allowing an abuser to continue to abuse DXM throughout the day, whether at school or work. DXM powder,sold over the Internet, is also a source of DXM for abuse. (The powdered form of DXM poses additional risks to theabuser due to the uncertainty of composition and dose.) DXM is also distributed in illicitly manufactured tabletscontaining only DXM or mixed with other drugs such as pseudoephedrine and/ or methamphetamine. DXM is abused byindividuals of all ages, but its abuse by teenagers and young adults is of particular concern. This abuse is fueled byDXM’s OTC availability and extensive “how to" abuse information on various web sites.

DXM intoxication involves: over-excitability, lethargy, loss of coordination, slurred speech, sweating, hypertension, andinvoluntary spasmodic movement of the eyeballs. The use of high doses of DXM in combination with alcohol or otherdrugs is particularly dangerous, and deaths have been reported. Approximately 5-10% of Caucasians are poor DXMmetabolizers and at increased risk for overdoses and deaths. DXM taken with antidepressants can be life threatening.OTC products that contain DXM often contain other ingredients such as acetaminophen, chlorpheniramine, andguaifenesin that have their own effects, such as: liver damage, rapid heart rate, lack of coordination, vomiting, seizures,and coma. To circumvent the many side effects associated with these other ingredients, a simple chemical extractionprocedure has been developed and published on the Internet that removes most of these other ingredients in coughsyrup.

Overdose effectsDXM overdose can be treated in an emergency room setting and generally does not result in severe medicalconsequences or death. Most DXM-related deaths are caused by ingesting the drug in combination with other drugs.DXM-related deaths also occur from impairment of the senses, which can lead to accidents. In 2003, a 14-year-old boyin Colorado who abused DXM died when he was hit by two cars as he attempted to cross a highway. State lawenforcement investigators suspect that the drug affected the boy’s depth perception and caused him to misjudge thedistance and speed of the oncoming vehicles.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Help us save the lives of countless children that die every year senselessly: Please join us and sign this petition, send it to your Congress and have the letters hand delivered to them also, I did! Make your voice know this year, an election year I might add.

There is an alarming wave of deaths among our country’s youth; a wave
that continues to go unnoticed by mainstream media. Adolescents across
the nation are victims of unintentional fatalities caused by their
participation in the “choking game” and though known by many names, the
intent is to pass out purposely for amusement or for a “buzz”. This
silent epidemic that focuses the most brutal results on our very young
middle schoolers, remains hidden from public attention because currently
there is no way to accurately track and report the number of cases.
This lack of statistical proof also limits prevention efforts promoted
by the grass-roots organization of the thousands of grieving families
who have lost a child to this insidious “game”.

As your constituent, I have signed my name below to ask that you help us help our children by doing the following:

1. Call the CDC and request to be briefed on the issue of the “choking game”.

2. Support the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services by
requesting that the World Health Organization add a sub code that
includes the “choking game” as a cause of death.

3. Include the “choking game” among the health-risk behaviors that
contribute to the leading causes of death and disability among youth in
the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), and make the YRBS
affordable and accessible for all states.

4. Support the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH)
model of education as the means to disseminate information regarding the
“choking game”.

Enduring the death of a child is heartbreaking. As my representative to
Congress, I ask that you help me prevent other families from this
heartache by showing your support in establishing statistical evidence
of the “choking game,” Your efforts will assist us in heightening
awareness among teens and their parents, teachers, and health care
providers.